1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus for the sorting of particles in a fluid medium flowing within a liquid-core waveguide, by combining customized light intensity patterns formed inside the waveguide, and diluting the suspension of particles (i.e., cells, blood, nanoparticles, etc.) flowing within the fluid medium of the waveguide. With this customized light intensity pattern, which controls the optical forces introduced by the light confined within the waveguide, and the control of the hydrodynamic forces introduced by the liquid flow (or multiple channel liquid flows), the sorting of particles can be achieved.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid-core optical waveguides (also known as light-guides) have been used to couple fluorescently or luminescently generated light in a liquid sample located in the liquid core as light detectors for diagnostic purposes.
Although eigenmodes have been successfully launched into multi-mode optical fibers (see F. Dubois, Ph. Emplit, and O. Hugon, Optics Letters, Vol. 19 No. 7, Apr. 1, 1994) via a spatial light modulator (SLM), the optical fibers used have solid cores, and so are only useful as conduits for light. Further, although optical fibers with solid cores have been used with diffractive optical elements for launching in specific eigenmodes, the purpose has been only to study their propagation characteristics.
However, in none of the above experiments, has there been any indication that liquid-core waveguides could be used to sort particles/cells.